Prunus besseyi Sand Cherry

A North American native species of cherry, a western sand cherry, this flowering shrub blooms in clusters of single white blooms in May and produces heavy crops of edible, sweet fruit in July to mid-August. The dark purple to black cherries can be eaten fresh or dried, baked in pies, or cooked in jams, jellies, and preserves.

This winter-hardy deciduous shrub provides food and nesting cover for songbirds, its silver-green foliage of summer turning purple in fall. The bush prefers well-drained soil, is drought tolerant, once established, and will even tolerate hot, dry soil, making it a perfect choice for water-conserving xeriscapes. It is occasionally used in border plantings and makes a good screen or hedge.